The Woman Before Me
by lostmoonchild
Summary: Heard the song and automatically thought of Inuyasha and Kagome's relationship.


lostmoonchild: I don't own Inuyasha or "The Woman Before Me" by Trisha Yearwood

**Chapter One: "The Woman Before Me"**

**_I can see you turn away  
When I ask what for  
You say it isn't anything  
But I'm not sure  
_**  
"Inuyasha?" Kagome questioned her brown eyes filling with concern when Inuyasha turned away from her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Kagome. It's nothing." Inuyasha answered not looking at the young miko.

Kagome's eyes softened as she looked at Inuyasha, not entirely believing what he was saying. "I'm not sure, Inuyasha." Kagome murmured so softly that the inu-hanyou couldn't hear her.

_**Somethin' underneath the skin  
Won't let you be  
And you try to keep it in  
But I can see**_

She was on his mind again and there was no way Inuyasha would be able to keep her off his mind. Every time he looked at Kagome, he saw Kikyo staring at him through her eyes. He could still see the loathing that Kikyo used to look at him with when she thought he wasn't looking. The look in Kikyo's eyes never left him, even though she had died fifty years ago.

_**The woman before me  
Must have been hard on you  
'cause that hurt in your eyes  
I never put you through  
Sometimes I think  
You must be talking to  
The woman before me and you**_

"Do you think she was hard on him fifty years ago?" Kagome asked Sango softly when she saw a look of hurt in Inuyasha's eyes. "He always seems to be hurting inside."

"I don't know." Sango answered.

Kagome watched Inuyasha as he stared up at the sky, hurt barely showing in his golden eyes. He seemed to be thinking about something, having an internal battle with himself on who Kagome really was. Trying desperately to convince himself that she wasn't Kikyo.

_**Sometimes in an argument  
It will show  
When you go a little farther than  
You meant to go**_

"I'm going home just for three days, Inuyasha! I have school and I want to see my family!" Kagome shouted at the inu-hanyou.

"You're not going anywhere! We have Jewel Shards to collect!" Inuyasha shouted back at the miko. "Kikyo would have stayed to hunt for Jewel Shards!"

Inuyasha looked surprised when he realized what he had just said. "I'm not Kikyo, Inuyasha. I just wish that you would let go and see who I am." Kagome whispered a tear rolling down her face as she turned and walked back towards the well.

_**I know you don't mean the things  
That you say  
I just wanna ease the pain  
That's in your way**_

Instead of jumping through the well, Kagome walked to the God Tree and saw Kikyo waiting for Inuyasha. Kikyo turned her attention to Kagome and nodded in acknowledgment. "We have to have a talk." Kagome said not showing any fear towards the undead miko.

"About what?" Kikyo asked.

"The one person you and I both love. Inuyasha." Kagome answered calmly. "I'm not staying long so I'll get straight to the point. You hurt him when you pinned him to the tree and I know that you didn't like the fact he is a hanyou. Just so you know, I plan on easing his pain."

Before Kikyo could say anything, Kagome turned and walked to the well where she saw Inuyasha waiting for her with a glum look. "Kagome! I thought that you…" Inuyasha said looking surprised.

"I was thinking. I have a job here, Inuyasha. Besides collecting Jewel Shards." Kagome said with a gentle smile.

_**The woman before me  
Must have been hard on you  
'cause that hurt in your eyes  
I never put you through  
Sometimes I think  
You must be talking to  
The woman before me and you**_

"Inuyasha! Did you take the ramen out of my backpack again!" Kagome shouted glaring at the inu-hanyou.

Inuyasha winced inwardly at the look in Kagome's eyes and showed her the ramen that he had taken wanting to eat them later. Kagome sighed and said, "I'll fix some ramen up, Inuyasha, but do me a favor, will ya?"

"I'll try." Inuyasha muttered trying to keep his mind from seeing Kikyo in Kagome's eyes again.

"Next time you want ramen, tell me and I'll fix some up for you." Kagome said gently when she saw more hurt in Inuyasha's eyes. "Okay?"

Inuyasha nodded and looked surprised when Kagome hugged him a little.

_**If there are sorrows that bring back a tear  
Don't let them keep us apart  
You ought to know you've got nothing to fear  
Here in my heart**_

The fire died as the night faded into early morning. Kagome woke up to the sounds of Inuyasha crying out because of a nightmare. "No! Kikyo, don't!" Inuyasha shouted, which surprisingly didn't wake any of their friends.

Kagome climbed up the tree to the branch Inuyasha was sleeping in and gently shook him trying to wake him up. "Inuyasha, wake up." Kagome whispered.

Inuyasha woke up with a start looking badly shaken when he saw Kagome. "Kikyo…" Inuyasha said sounding a little afraid before his eyes adjusted and he saw it was Kagome. "Kagome, you should be sleeping."

Kagome managed to sit so she was holding onto Inuyasha a little. "Talk to me, Inu." Kagome whispered.

"It's none of your business."

"Inuyasha, you ARE my business." Kagome said softly looking at him. "Inuyasha, you don't have anything to fear. I'm trying to ease any pain that Kikyo left with you."

'_**cause you and I will never be  
Like the past  
Whatever kind of memories  
That you have**_

Inuyasha looked at Kagome with shock and saw truth in her eyes. "I remembered the day she shot me with that damn arrow and pinned me against that damn tree. I was watching myself reach to her, asking her how." Inuyasha whispered looking ashamed.

Kagome made Inuyasha look at her and she whispered, "Inuyasha, we won't be like that. I know that you and I, we won't be like you and Kikyo in the past. I know what you're capable of right now and I love you for who you are. I don't give a damn that you're a hanyou and I don't give a damn about what people would think about me loving you. But I do give a damn about trying to ease your pain. We'll never be like the past."

_**Nothin's gonna hurt you now  
Can't you see  
I already made a vow  
That I can keep**_

Inuyasha held Kagome close to him and smiled when he realized that Kagome was promising him a future that would be better than his past. "I… I would like that." Inuyasha whispered holding Kagome close to him.

"I never make a vow that I can't keep." Kagome whispered. "I always find a way to keep my promises."

Inuyasha was already asleep before Kagome whispered her promise to him.

_**But the woman before me  
Must have been hard on you  
'cause that hurt in your eyes  
I never put you through  
Sometimes I think  
You must be talking to  
The woman before me and you  
Sometimes I think  
You must be talking to  
The woman before me and you**_

Kagome watched Inuyasha and Kikyo argue, being there only because Inuyasha had asked for her to come along. "Miserable half breed! I bet my reincarnation has given you some false hope that you're destined to have a happy future!" Kikyo shouted angrily at Inuyasha.

Hurt flashed in Inuyasha's eyes and Kagome touched his shoulder gently. "I told you, Kikyo, I told you that I'd try to ease the pain that you gave Inuyasha. He's meant for happiness, but you're meant for the grave and my soul is meant to be in MY body." Kagome said.

Inuyasha couldn't believe it, Kagome was standing up for him. "Inuyasha?" Kikyo asked.

Pain flashed in Inuyasha's eyes as he used his iron reaver soul stealer to slice Kikyo into pieces. "Let's get back to the hut before everybody starts looking for us." Inuyasha said pain finally gone from his eyes when the other half of Kagome's soul returned to her body.

Kagome nodded and said softly, "Sometimes I think you must be talking to, the woman before me and you."

Inuyasha had no idea what Kagome was talking about but he was happy that she had shown him a way past the pain Kikyo had given him all those years ago. Smiling, Inuyasha and Kagome walked back to Kaede's hut, both ready to face any challenges that awaited them in the future.

lostmoonchild: Okay, that was my first Inuyasha songfic so go easy on me. Read and Review, flames will be accepted but go easy on the flames if this sucks, this is my first Inuyasha fic.


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